Slide card translator



1944- R. F. MALLINA SLIDE CARD TRANSLATOR Filed Nov. 9, 1945 4Sheets-$heet 1 l/VVE N TOR A T TOR/V5 Y Oct. 31, 1944. R. F. MALLINASLIDE CARD TRANSLATOR Filed Nov. 9, 1943 4 SheetsSheet 2 ull||lllll /oINVENTOR R. E MALL INA F/GZ A 7' TORNE Y Oct. 31, 1944. R. F. MALLINA2,361,859

SLIDE CARD TRANSLATOR Filed Nov. ,9, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 4 F765..5

INVENTOR R. F MALL/NA V .AUQB EV 31, 1944. R, MALUNA' 2,361,859

SLIDE CARD TRANSLATOR Filed Nov. 9, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR R. F.MALL/NA A T TOR/V5 V Patented Oct. 31, 1944 SLIDE CARD TRANSLATORRudolph F. Mallina, Hastings on Hudson, N. Y.,

assignor to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y.,a corporation of New York Application November 9, 1943, Serial No.509,564

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in card translators of the typedisclosed in the copending application of G. R. Stibitz, Serial No.485,734, filed May 5, 1943.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a card translator ofthe character described which will be comparatively simple inconstruction, easy in operation, compact in form and inexpensive tobuild, and which may be operated to select the cards as desired in amuch more accurate and expeditious manner than has heretofore beenpossible with apparatus of this kind.

Another object of the invention is a transla tor of the characterdescribed in which the cards contained within the supporting apparatusmay be easily and reliably removed therefrom, or replaced by othercards, through the simple expedient of operating a hinged pressure padthat normally rests upon the card stack, said pressure pad having alsothe additional function of normally holding the cards securely in placein stacked relationship within the supporting apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a translator of thecharacter described in which the notches on the different cards may bealtered without necessitating any changes in the construction of thetranslator itself and without complicating its method of operation,thereby making the apparatus adaptable for a variety of uses in whichtranslators of this kind may be employed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a translator of thecharacter described which will provide a suitable housing for a greaternumber of cards, and make possible a more rapid, reliable and accurateselection thereof in a smaller and more simply constructed apparatusthan has heretofore been possible.

With the above-mentioned and other objects in view, the inventionconsists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafterdescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and set forth in theclaims appended hereto, it being understood that various changes in theform, proportion, size and minor details of construction within thescope of the claims may be resorted to without departure from the spiritof the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a front view of the translator taken along the section linei-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the translator;

I-ig. 3 is also a front view of the translator,

taken along the section line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and shows the translator inan operated position subsequent to the selection of a card;

Fig. 4 shows a side view of the read magnet and the manner in which theread bars are hinged to the armature thereof;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section of a preferred construction of a part of theselect and read bars;

Fig. 6 shows a cross-section of a part of the two card guides;

Fig. 'lisometrically shows the manner in which the read bars. aremounted and the relation of the mounting means to one of the resetmagnets and the right card guide;

Fig. 8 shows a perspective view of the left card guide, read bar andread magnet support;

Fig. 9 shows a select bar in relation to its controlling select magnet;while 'Fig. 10 shows the detailed construction of the read bar.

Before proceeding with the detailed description of the invention, it maybe well to remark that the translator shown and described in theabove-mentioned copending application of G. R. Stibitz comprises astructure adapted to support a plurality of cards each notched along thetop and bottom edges thereof according to a code of paired wide andnarrow notches to indicate certain items of information and somearbitrary or actual translation thereof, also in code of paired wide andnarrow notches. The cards are stacked together in the same sense withthe notches forming grooves of varying widths. Over each groove isdisposed a controllable bar which is adapted to fit into the narrowportion of the groove, and when the translation of a particular item ofinformation is desired, bars are selectively inserted into those groovesformed by the notches that denote the items of information which aredetermined by the wide notches on the information or select side of thecardthat contains the desired translation. Since the number of widenotches and their distribution along the information edges of a card areindividual to the card, and since the bars are adapted to fit thegrooves formed by the narrow notches, it follows that the bars which areinserted into grooves determined by the wide notches of a particularcard will cause all cards to be locked against sidewise movement exceptthe one whose wide notches determined the bars to be inserted. anoperation which leaves this one cardfree to move sideways out of thestack by the difference between a Wide and narrow notch. Means areprovided for pulling the selected card partially out of the stack by theamount indicated, and this partial withdrawal of the card will cause theunnotched spaces between the narrow notches that comprise thetranslation record of the card thus selected to cover up the alignednarrow notches of the unmoved cards on each side of the selected cardwhile the wide notches on said card forming part of its translationrecord will either reduce aligned wide notches on the other cards to thewidth of narrow notches or, it they are narrow notches in the firstinstance, will leave their width unaffected. An attempt is then made toinsert a controllable bar in each of the grooves formed by thetranslation records of the cards in the stack, but the only grooves thatwill be penetrated by the bars are those which were not blocked bynarrow notches in the translation record of the card moved out; that is,those bars which are disposed over the grooves marked by wide notches oithe translation record of this card.' These bars, upon entering thegrooves, each close a pair of contacts, and the combination of separateelectric circuits closed therethrough will provide the electricalequivalent of the arbitrary or correlated translation recorded by thewide notches on the translation record of the selected card.

In the translator which constitutes my invention, the code notches areall on one edge or the card instead of being paired on opposite edgesthereof, and the select bars, that is, the bars which are instrumentalin selecting the various cards, are normally inserted in the groovesformed by the wide and narrow notches that constitute the select codes.This automatically locks all the cards in stacked relationship. Inselecting a particular card, the select bars, instead of beingselectively inserted in the grooves determined by the wide notches inthe select record of the card to be selected, are selectively withdrawnfrom the grooves determined by the narrow notches thereof, thus leavingundisturbed those bars which are normally in the grooves determined bythe wide notches. Since each card is held locked by the bars against thetension of a spring individual to each card, the

withdrawal of the bars from the grooves determined by the narrow notcheson the card to be selected frees the latter card to the pull of its ownspring, the latter moving the card out oi the stack by the differencebetween a wide and narrow notch. The card thus selected blocks, by meansof the narrow notches 01 its select record, the grooves determined byits narrow notches and leaves unblocked the grooves determined by itswide notches. A normally operated read" magnet that controls a "read"bar individual to each groove formed by the notches oi the vari oustranslation records is then deenergized to release the bars in anattempt to cause each bar to become intruded into its own groove and, ofcourse, the grooves which have been covered up by the unnotched portionoi! the edge following each narrow notch in the selected card will blockthe intrusion of the associated bars, leaving only those bars free tointrude which are' disposed over grooves determined by the wide notchesin the translation record of the selected card. Each read bar isprovided with a lever ing to the number of intruded bars, indicating thetranslation recorded on the selected card.

In restoring the translator mechanism to normal, the read bars arewithdrawn from their respective grooves by the operation or the readmagnet. A pair of reset magnets are then operated to push the selectedcard back into the card stack against the tension of its individualspring. The select bars previously withdrawn from their respectivegrooves during the selection operation are then released for reinsertiontherein, whereupon all the cards are then locked in their normalunselected position.

As will be readily understood, the size of the translator mechanism willdepend upon the total number of cards to be accommodated thereby, thelength of the cards and the character of the select and reading codes tobe used thereon. To illustrate the general principle of construction andoperation exemplified by my invention, I have chosen to illustrate thesame by a device adapted to accommodate. one-hundred cards, each notchedalong one edge according to a code indication of two numbers, the oneset of two numbers designating the card itself and the other set of twonumbers designating the translation individual to the card. The codeadopted is the "binary" code which is described and illustrated in theabove-mentioned copending application of Stibitz and comprises a pair ofwide and narrow notches for each binary place, a wide notch followed bya narrow notch, for example, designating the binary digit 1 and a narrownotch followed by a wide notch designating the binary digit 0. Since theone-hundred cards may be assumed to have the decimal numbers 00 to 99,each such number will have its equivalent of seven binary digits, eachsuch digit (0 to 1) being indicated along the edge of the card by a pairof wide and narrow notches according to the above assumed position ofthese notches. Thus each card will have a "select" code comprisingfourteen notches, wide and narrow according to the indicated number, toform fourteen grooves of varying widths when the cards are stacked inthe same sense.

The number which represents the "output or translation" record notchedon a card will depend, of course, upon the character of the informationto be translated and upon the number of binary digits required torepresent this translation. Where, for example, each item of informationfor each of the hundred cards may be designated by a two-digit decimalnumber, seven binary digits or fourteen pairs of wide and narrow notcheswill be suflicient to provide this translation. Where, on the otherhand, the translation requires more than two decimal digits,corresponding increases in the binary code thereof will be required. Inthe present embodiment of the invention described hereunder by way ofexample, it is assumed that the translation 01 the information may berepresented in terms of two-digit decimal numbers which require theequivalent oi as seven-digit binary number each necessitating fourteenwide and narrow notches along the edge or the card. It should beunderstood, however, that no limitatlon of any-kind is intended by theillustrative example as toth'e number of cards that can be handl by thetranslaior or the'number oi binary igits that should be used either forthe input" or "output" record except to notethat, as the binary digitsare increased and the grooves formed by the notches indicating thesedigits are correspondingly increased, additional select and read barsand controlling equipment therefor will be necessary.

Referring, now, to the various figures of the drawings, which show onespecific structure embodying the principles of the invention as aboveoutlined and in which the same reference numerals in each of the figuresdesignate the same parts, a card, designated by the numeral I, is a longmetallic member, rectangular in form which is provided with a group offourteen wide and narrow notches along the left bottom edge and anothergroup of fourteen wide and narrow notches along the right bottom edge,both groups of notches being separated from each other by an unnotchedportion of the card. The left group of notches comprising seven binarydigits, designates the card itself or input as it shall hereinafter becalled, while the right group of notches, also comprising sevenbinarydigits, designates the information or output or translation" as itshall hereinafter be called, which the card is intended to convey. Sinceit is assumed that the input and output entries on each card will bedesignated by an equal number of binary digits, each card I is, ofcourse, made up of the same number of notches. Further, each card isformed with a spring rest 4 on its lower edge to the right of the inputgroup of notches and with a detent 5 projecting outwardly from themiddle of its right end, said detent 5 serving as a butt for pushing thecard back into the stack subsequent to its selection as moreparticularly described hereinafter.

As shown in Fig. 2, the hundred cards I are divided into five groups oftwenty cards each, with each group further subdivided into foursubgroups of five cards each. As shown more particularly in the otherfigures, each card is supported upon and within two card guides, theleft card guide 2 and the right card guide 3. The left guide 2 is along, rectangular box-like structure which is secured to or madeintegral with the upper end of the upright portion III of the support(Fig. 8). The guide is provided with vertical, exposed compartments, orslots, divided by the partitions I5 in equally spaced groups of four,each group being separated by the block 8 and with each compartmentcapable of slidably accommodating five cards therein. The slots areslightly deeper than the width of the cards so as to cause the top edgesof the latter to be clear of the tops of the slots.

The right guide 3 is supported at its two ends by the top of the twobracket members 9 and 8' (Figs. 2 and '7), each of the latter forming apart of the restoring magnet supporting framework as explainedhereinafter. The guide 3, like the guide 2, comprises four groups ofcompartments. or slots, which are divided off by partitions I5 spacedequally as those of guide 2 and similarly separated by the blocks 8. Theslots of guide 2, however, differ from those of guide 2 in that they areopen at each end to permit the horizontal passage of the cards Itherethrough, the guide itself being simply a rectangular block securedby screws or other suitable means to the top of the bracket members 9and 9'. Further, the groups of slots in guide 3 and the individual slotsof the groups are so spaced that, when the guide 3 is secured ,tothe'brackets, corresponding slots on both guide 2 and guide 3 will be inhorizontal and vertical alignment. The cards that rest in the slotswill, therefore, be substantially free and the notches thereon will formaligned horizontal grooves. Thus when the cards I are inserted in thecorresponding slots of the guides 2 and 3, they will form five cardstacks separated from each other by the spaces between the separatingblocks 8. Since the cards are all to be inserted in the various slots inthe same sense with their respective notched edges on the bottom, andsince the cards are pushed horizontally into the left guide 2 untiltheir respective left edges abut against the closed end of said guide,it is evident that the cards will thus be arranged into five separatestacks of twenty cards each with the notches thereof forming alignedgrooves that traverse the entire five stacks.

To the base member ID are suitably secured a number of select magnets I6and I! which control as many select bars 23 to effect a selection of anyone of the cards in any one of the groups. As stated above, the quantityof select controlling equipment provided for the translator depends uponthe number of cards. When one-hundred cards are used with each cardidentified by a decimal number 00-99 and the binary code is applied foreach of these numbers, seven binary digits or fourteen select notcheswill be required in each card to form as many grooves. Hence in thepresent embodiment of the invention which illustrates a translator usingone-hundred cards notched in the binary representation of two decimaldigits, fourteen select magnets divided into two groups of seven magnetseach are provided. The seven magnets ll of one group are mounted withinthe support I9 in equally spaced relation with the cores thereof securedto the base 20, flush or substantially so, with the right flange 24, thesupport I9 being so mounted on the base I0 that the front and rearselect bar supports or ears 22 and 22', respectively, will fall withinthe left edge of said base. Secured to the base ID in magnetic contactwith the flange 24 is the L- shaped magnetic member I8 which is of thesame length and width as flange 24, and on the base of said member I 8are secured the seven select magnets I6 of the second group. Thesemagnets are equally spaced in relation to each other and to the magnetsI! so that corresponding magnets in each of the two groups will formhorizontally disposed pairs of magnets Il--I6 as shown in Fig. 2.

The upright 59 is provided at-each of its upper ends with a pair ofaligned apertured ears, namely, the front ears 22 and the back ears 22'.These ears provide apertures for the pivots that will support the selectbars 23 in the manner indicated hereinafter, and the slotted spacebetween each pair of ears, while equal for both pairs, will bedetermined by the number of select bars provided for the translator.

Each select magnet I1 and I6 controls a U- shaped select bar 23 (seeFig. 9) which, at the end of one cross member (the rear cross member inthe present embodiment of the invention) is provided with a'downwardlyextending lever portion, a hole 25 being provided at the end of the rearcross member, and a similar aligned hole being provided at the end ofthe forward cross member. Each select bar 23 is formed with an armature28 having a rounded portion to engage the core of its controlling magnetI! or I8 and a rectangular portion to engage the top edge of the magnetsupporting member 24 or I8. The location of the armature along the mainmember of the bar and whether the curved portion thereof will be to theright or to the left of said main member will depend, of course, uponthe location of the associated magnet upon either the member [9 or themember l8, as will be apparent from Figs. 1 and 2. Along the upper edgeof the bar is welded o otherwise suitably secured thereto a thin strip26 of a thickness which is slightly less than the width of a narrownotch on the cards. The strip is secured to the bar so as to leave aportion of it exposed which is slightly greater than the depth of thenotch so that, when the bar is lifted into the groove formed by a columnof notches, this exposed portion may fully and freely be intruded intothe groove. It is obvious that while the bar has to have sufficientthickness to insur rigidity, the fact that a thin strip 26 can bemounted thereon for intrusion into a groove means that the notches canbe made smaller and thus reduce the length of the cards. But the use ofthe strip 26 may be dispensed with and the top edge of the bar insertedin the groove if. for any reason, small notches are undesirable,

the narrow notch of a card being dimensioned.

in this case. to be slightly wider than the thickness of the bar.

The bars 23 of which fourteen are provided in the present embodiment ofthe invention, are of progressively diminishing dimensions, the largest,for control by the last magnet (6 of the outer row of select magnets 16,having its main and two cross members proportioned so that said crossmembers will fit within the extreme front and rear slots encompassedwithin the pairs of ears 22 and 22' the aligned holes 25 in said crossmembers being in alignment with the holes in said ears. With the outerbar so adjusted between the two slots, the main member of the bar willcome directly underneath the fourteenth groove formed by the extremeright-hand select notches of the card stacks.

Onthe other hand, the smallest bar 23 which will be controlled by thefirst or frontmost select magnet I! of the inner row of seven magnets,will have its main and two cross members proportioned so that the latterwill lie within the innermost slots of the pair of ears 22 and 22' withthe holes thereof in alignment with those of the ears and with the mainmember thereof coming directly underneath the first groove (countingfrom the left in Fig. 1) formed by the first select notch in each of thecards. The remaining twelve bars, disposed between the largest oroutermost'bar and the smallest or innermost bar, are proportioned forthe location of their respective main members directly underneath thecorrelated grooves formed by the intermediate select notches on thecards, and for the location of the respective cross members in theallocated slots therefor between the pairs of ears 22 and 22'. Thesebars are freely supported by the pivot pins 28 and 28, the former pintraversing the aligned holes of the front cross bar members between ears22, and the latte traversing the holes of the rear cross bar membersbetween the ears 22'.

The lower portion 25 of each of the select bars 23 is acted upon by aspring 30 individual to each bar, each of said springs being secured byits bottom end to the outer surface of upright IS and pressing upon theportion 25 so as to keep bar 23 under tension, thus applying to thelatter a force tending to rotate it in the counter-clockwisedirection.Now when the one-hundred cards I are grouped into the five stacks byplacing them in their appropriate slots in the card guides 2 and 3 asabove set forth, the select notches form select grooves of varyingwidths, also as above set forth. with each groove directly over the edge26 of the select bar 23 allocated to the groove.

Since the location of the card guides 2 and 3 (the former by itsposition in the upper inner side of upright l9 and the latter by theheight of the bracket members 9 and 9') is determined withthe view toproviding but a slight clearance between the top edges of the bars andthe lower edges of the cards when the intrusion edges 26 have penetratedthe full depth of the card notches, and since the bars are urged to movein a counter-clockwise direction by the action of their respectivesprings 30 (the intrusion edges 26 meanwhile being directly underneaththeir corresponding grooves), it follows that the edge 25 of each barwill be fully intruded within its own above disposed groove. Moreover,since each card will have one or more narrow select notches in its groupof select notches. and since the thickness of the edges 26 of theintruded bars is slightly less than the width of the narrow notches, itfurther follows that, with the edges 26 of the select bars 23 fullyintruded into their corresponding grooves, each card will be lockedagainst any sidewise movement.

To counteract the force of the bars (applied thereto by the springs 30)in trying to lift the cards out of their respective slots in the cardguides, a pressure pad 3| is provided which rests upon the top of thecard stacks. This pad is a U-shaped element having an inverted T-shapedmain member that runs at least the full length of the card stacks, andtwo cross members which are hinged on and supported by the pins 28 and28' exterior to the outer pairs of ears 22 and 22' by aligned aperturesat the ends of said cross members. The pad 3| is thus adapted to swingcounter-clockwise about the pins, and the length of its cross memberspreferably may be such as to cause the main member to rest upon thestack at the cross center thereof, as shown in Fig. 2. The weight of thepad is such that, when resting upon the card stack, it will fullycounteract the force of the select bars 23 to lift the cards out oftheir guides 2 and 3.

If it is now desired to change or replace a card I, the pressure pad 3|is lifted off the card stacks by swinging it to the left. Preferably itwould be desirable under these circumstances first to energize all theselect magnets l6 and I1 and thereby withdraw'all the select bars 23 outof their respective grooves. With the pressure pad off the card stackand the select magnets energized, the cards may be removed from thestack by lifting them vertically out of their slots in the guides 2 and3. The replacing cards may then be placed in the vacated positions, thepressure pad 3| swung to the right into position of rest upon the cardstack and the select magnets thereafter deenergized to cause theirrespective bars 23 again to be intruded within the select grooves.

Mention has been made of the fact that each card I is provided with alug l on its lower right edge beyond the group of notches forming thetranslation part of the card record. Each of these lugs controls themoving one of a pair of springs 32 individual to each card. each of saidpair of springs being insulatedly clamped to the base plate It! andprotruding through suitable openings therein. The lugs 4 on the severalcards in each group of twenty cards are progressively staggered to theright beginning with the first card in each group. and the spring pairs32 individual to each card in a group of twenty are similarly staggeredso as to bring the moving spring of each pair into engagement with itsconaccuse trolling lug on the card. The springs are stagsered becausethe thickness of a card stack assembly is much less than the width ofall the associated springs, and if the latter were to be horizontallyaligned perpendicularly to the cards, the space would be insufficient toaccommodate all the springs.

For each two groups of forty cards there is provided a double-edgedstaggered slot guide 33 of insulating material, said guide being formedwith twenty rectangular teeth along its front edge and twentyrectangular teeth along its back edge. The guide has a right verticalflange portion suitably apertured for attachment by screws to theunderside of the right card guide 3, the left end of said guide beingsupported by screws upon the upright 34 which, in turn, is secured tothe base plate by screws or the like and is of suflicient depth tosupport the two full guides 33 and the half guide 35, each of the latterhaving only twenty teeth along one edge for the twenty springs of thelast or fifth group of cards, counting from the front. The tip of themoving spring of the pair 32 for each card normally rests against theleft edge of the lug 4 and is tensioned to apply a force to the cardthat will tend to move the same to the right; that is, out of the stack.The spring passes through an aligned slot in the guide 33 (or guide 35)and is limited in its movement by the right edge of the slot which thespring will engage when, on the associated card being released forsidewise movement in the manner hereinafter shown, the spring moves inthe direction of the applied tension. Since the movement of the card outof the stack is controlled by the tension in the moving spring of thepair 32 and by the difference between a wide and narrow notch in itsselection group of notches, the Width of the slots in the spring guides33 is made no larger than this difference so that the spring will belimited in moving the card out any further than this distance. When,therefore, the spring engages the right edge of the spring slot 33 (or35), the card will cease to move. The stationary spring of the pair ofsprings 32 which is shorter than the moving spring (to cause the tipthereof to come below the guide 33) will then be engaged by the movingspring. An electric circuit completed through the two springs willindicate that the card controlled by the moving spring has been movedout of the stack; that is, that the card has been selected.

The selection of a card from a stack may now be advantageously describedbefore proceeding to the description of the remaining elements of thetranslator. the manner in which the information recorded on a selectedcard is made available and the manner in which a selected card isrestored back into the stack. In the normal condition of the translator,the cards i are all arranged in stacked groups to form as many "selectgrooves as there are select notches in the different cards, there beingthe same number of select notches in each card, in this case, fourteen.The translation notches on the cards, that is, the group of notches. tothe right ofthe select notches that designate the information carried bythe cards, also form grooves when the cards are arranged in stackedformation, there being, in this case, as many translation grooves asthere are reading notches, in this case, fourteen, since it has beenassumed that the translation on each card may b designated by the binaryrepresentation of a two-digit number. The pressure pad 3! is restingupon the card stacks. and the select magnets I3 and H are deenergized.Under these conditions, each of the select bars 23 is tilted upward byits individual spring 30 until the top edge 23 of each bar is fullyintruded into the select groove formed directly thereover. Since thethickness of the edge 26 is slightly less than the width of a narrowselect notch, and since each card has seven such narrow notchesdistributed among the total of fourteen (the remainder being widenotches), it is evident that, with the select bars 23 fully intrudedinto their respective select grooves, the cards .will be "locked andthereby restrained by the bars from responding to the force applied tothem by the tension of their respective springs of the pairs of springs32. To release anyone of these cards so that the moving spring of itspair 32 may impel the card to move to the right, the select magnets l6and H are energized in the combination indicated by the bars intrudedinto those select grooves which are determined by the narrow notches inthe card tobe selected. The energization of these magnets will attracttheir armatures 28 which are integralwith the bars, and since the barsare hinged on the ears 22 and 22', as before described, the bars will berotated clockwise against the tension of their respective springs 33until their respective edges 26 are withdrawn from the select groovesindicated and cleared entirely therefrom. The select bars whichare nowleft in the grooves are only those determined by the wide" notches ofthe card to be selected, and

since the number of these notcheswand their distribution in the group offourteen are unique to this card, and since the thickness of theintruding edge 26 of each of these bars is slightly less than the widthof a narrow notch, the card will no longer be locked but will be free tomove to the right out of the stack under its force of the moving springof the pair 32 until the left edges of the wide notches engage the leftsurfaces of the edges 28 of theintruded bars; that is, the card will befree to move to the right substantially by the difference between a wideand a narrow notch. The moving spring of the pair 32, pressing on theleft edge of lug 4 of the card traversed only by bars which are intrudedinto .its wide notches, urges the card to the right,

which moves out of its slot in the card guide 2 andthroughthecorresponding slot in card guide 3, by a distance equal to thedifference between a wide and narrow notch, at which time the movingspring of the pair 32 engages the right edge of its slot in the guidemember 33 (or 35 depending on the stack from which the card is selected)and further engages the stationary spring of said pair 32. The card thusmoved out is in a selected position, the other cards remaining lockedagainst displacement by the individual moving spring of their respectivepairs of springs 32 because the still intruded select bars are alsointruded into grooves which, While formed in part only by the widenotches of the selected card, are also formed by the narrow notches ofthe other cards, leaving said other.

cards no space between their respective wide and narrow notches that canbe utilized by the individualmoving springs of their pairs of springs 32to move the cards out of the stack.

As previously stated, the displacement of a card out of the stack by thedifference between a wide and narrow select, notch causes the narrownotches of translation grooves of the displaced card to be covered up,while those which include its wide notches will be reduced to the widthof narrow notches. Now if an attempt were to be made to insert bars inall the translation grooves, the only ones that would get through wouldbe those located below the grooves which include the wide translationnotches of the selected card, since the most that could happen to thesegrooves by the movement of the selected card would be the reduction oftheir respective widths from those of wide notches to those of narrownotches. Since the translation record of a card is determined by thenumber and distribution of wide notches of its group of translationnotches, a number and distribution which is unique to each card, it isobvious that the bars that would be inserted in the grooves determinedby the wide notches of the selected card will designate its translationrecord.

For each translation groove there is a read bar 36, fourteen such barsbeing provided in the present embodiment of the invention because of theexistence of fourteen translation grooves. Each of these bars is aU-shaped structure that has aligned apertures at the ends of itsopposite cross arms and includes, on the rear cross arm, a downwardlyextending lever 31. Underneath the main arm of the bar is a hookedportion 38 that catches in an eyelet under the armature 39 of the readmagnet 40. The upper edge of a read bar, like the upper edge of a selectbar, carries a thin edge 26 similar to the thin edge 26 of the selectbar, said former edge being coextensive with the length of thetranslation grooves formed by all the card stacks.

As in the case of the select bars 23, the read bars 36 are progressivelydimensioned to fit freely, in spaced relation inside of the other, allof the bars being secured by the pins 4| and 4! to the bar supports 42and 42', respectively, which, in turn, are secured to the upper portionof the bottom of the front channel member and the rear channel member,respectively, of the reset magnet supports ii and II. Thus the bars arefree to swing about these supports.

The read magnet 40 which controls the operation of all the fourteen readbars 38 is vertically mounted upon the base III with its longitudinalaxis preferably in line with the center of the translation group ofnotches. The magnet has a pivoted armature 39 which is of sufllcientwidth to provide at its outer extremity an eyelet for each of the hooks38 of the several read bars 33.

For each read bar 36 there is provided a pair of contact springs (seeFig. 3), a movable spring 43 and a stationary spring 43, each pair ofsaid springs being vertically mounted upon the base member ID to theright of the lever 31 of the associated bar and protruding for externalwiring connections through a suitable opening in said base member. Thesprings are so mounted upon the base member that each moving spring 43can be moved in and out of engagement with its associated stationaryspring 43' by the oscillatory movement of lever 31 as the associated bar36 is turned about the pins 4i and 41' by the operation of magnet 40.

In the normal condition of the translator, that is, prior to theselection of a card, the read magnet 40 is maintained in an energizedcondition. The armature 39, being drawn to the core of the magnet, actsupon the hooks 33 of each of the bars 36 suspended thereunder to turnsaid bars in a counter-clockwise direction about the pivot pins 4i and4|. Each bar, in so turning, clears its top edge 26' from the associatedtranslation groove formed thereover by the card stacks, and furthercauses its lever portion 31 to push spring 43 out of engagement withstationary spring 43' as above noted. Now after a card I has beenselected in the manner heretofore described and said card has been movedout of the stack by the difference between a wide and narrow notch, thecircuit of the read magnet 43 is opened and its armature 39 is caused torelease. This release action of the armature tends to cause all the readbars 36 to turn in a clockwise direction about the pins 4| and 4|, butthe only ones that will sueceed in doing so will be those that arelocated under read grooves which have not been covered up by the narrownotches in the translation record of the selected card, since these arethe only ones that will present no obstruction to the edges 26'; thatis, the grooves that will be entered by the corresponding bars will bethose determined by the wide notches of the selected card inasmuch asthe bars under these grooves will have a clear space equal to the widthof a narrow notch which the unnotched portion of the selected card willnot have covered up. With the intrusion of a bar in the unblockedgroove, the lever portion 31 turns away from spring 43 causing saidspring to engage the stationary spring 43. All the read bars 36 whosetop edges 23 thus succeed in penetrating their respective unblockedgrooves will, therefore, cause their respective pairs of contact springs43 and 43 to close, and since of the fourteen pairs of such springs thepairs that close have been caused to close by the intrusion of read bars33 into grooves marked by the wid notches in the translation record ofthe selected card, it follows that the operated spring pairs designate,in binary code, the information indicated by the translation record ofthe selected card. It further follows that since the number anddistribution of the wide notches in the translation group of notches areunique for each card, the selection of the diflerent cards in the mannerabove described will thus cause a different combination of read bars 33to be intruded into the grooves for each selected card, followed, inturn, by the operation of different combinations of the spring pairs 43and 43'. Separate work circuits closed through each of said pairs ofsprings 43-43 will provide the information of the translation record.These circuits may then be utilized for the purpose of the translator,

It will be noted that secured to each of the L- shaped channel membersII and II is vertically mounted a reset magnet i4 and I4, respectively,the former magnet being located at the front and the latter magnet beinglocated at the rear of the base plate l0. Hinged at apertures I3 and I!in the bases of said channel members is the reset armature 46 which issubstantially rectangular in shape except for the ends thereof which arereduced in width to clear the top cross members of brackets 3 and 3',said brackets extending outwardly sufficiently to provide a limitedmovement of said armature. The armature may normally be either in anoperated or unoperated position. If it is in the operated position, itis up against the lugs I of all the cards in the different card stacks.Now when a card is selected and moved out of its stack, its lug willpush the armature away, causing it to move slightly to the right untilthe reduced portions thereof abut against the inner sides of brackets 9and 9. When a selection operation is terminated and a selected card isto be drawn back into the stack, the read magnet 40 is reenergized towithdraw the intruded read bars 88 out of their respective grooves, inconsequence of which the operated spring pairs 43 and 48' aredisensailed to open the work circuits. The circuit for each reset magnet14 and I4 is then closed by any suitable means, whereupon the armature45 operates to press upon the lug 5 of the selected card, applyingthereby a force that pushes the card back into the stack. Beforereleasing the reset magnets I4 and ll the circuits of the operatedselect magnets it and H are opened, causing their respective select bars26 to be acted upon by their restoring springs 30, which tilt theirrespective bars 23 in the counterclockwise direction and cause theiredges 28 to become inserted in the select grooves thereover, thuslocking the cards. With the selected card again drawn back into thestack, the moving spring of its pair of springs 32 is disengaged fromits stationary spring, and the former builds up tension to push the cardout of the stack upon its next selection. The reset magnets and i4 maynow be released but the armature may remain against the array of lugs 5.With the read magnet 40 energized and the select magnets 16 and I1unenergized, the selection of another card may proceed in the manneralready described.

While I have described one specific embodiment of my invention, it isunderstood that various other embodiments thereof may be made by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention asdefined within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A slide card translator of the character described comprising incombination a plurality of cards each having a plurality of wide andnarrow notche along one edge thereof to record a designationcharacteristic of the card and an item of translation individualthereto, a base, two parallel supports mounted on opposite sides of saidbase, a slotted guide for said cards mounted upon each of said supportsfor inserting said cards therebetween to form a stack wherebycorresponding notches in each of the cards form grooves of varyingwidths that traverse the stack, means individual to each card fordrawing the diiferent cards out of the stack, bars normally inserted inthe grooves formed by the designation characteristics of the cards forkeeping said cards in the stack against the action of said individualmeans, and electromagnetic means individual to each bar for controllingthe insertion and withdrawal thereof from the associated groove, wherebythe operation of said electromagnetic means in designated combinationsto withdraw bars from the grooves that include the narrow notches of thedesignation characteristic of a card will cause said card to be actedupon by said means individual to the card for withdrawal out of thestack within said guides by the difference between a wide and narrownotch, said card being restrained from further movement out of the stackby the bars in the grooyes that include only the wide notches of itsdesignation characteristic.

2. A slide card translator of the character described comprising incombination a plurality of cards each having a plurality of wide andnarrow notches along one edge thereof to record a designationcharacteristic of a card and an item of information individual thereto,a base, two parallel supports mounted on opposite sides of said base. aslotted guide for said cards mounted upon each of said supports forslidably holding individual cards in corresponding slots in each guidewhereby said cards form stacks with grooves of varying widths twain: thestacks, said grooves being formed by the wide and nar-' row notches thatrecord the designations characteristic of the cards/and the items oftranslation individual thereto, means individual to each card for movingsaid card out .of its stack, U-shaped select bars of a thicknessslightly less than the width of a narrow notch normally inserted in thegrooves formed by the designation characteristics of the cards forpreventing said cards from being acted upon by said individual means,each of said select bars being pivotally mounted on one of said supportsand kept in the inserted position by a spring individual to each bar,and an electromagnet for each of said select bars secured to said basefor controlling the insertion and withdrawal of its associated bar froma groove, said electromagnet including an armature integral with thebar, whereby the energization of said electromagnet causes the bar to bewithdrawn out of the roove against the restraining action of the springindividual to the bar and whereby the energization of saidelectromagnets in the combination indicated by the narrow notches of thedesignation characteristic 'of a particular card and the consequentwithdrawal oi the associated bars out of their respective grooves leavessaid card free to be acted .upon by said means individual to the cardfor withdrawing the same out of its stack within said base, a slottedguide for said cards mounted upon each one of said supports for slidablyholding said cards in a plurality of aligned stacks, said cards forminggrooves of varying widths traversing the stacks, said grooves beingformed by the wide and narrow notches that record the designationcharacteristic of the different cards and the items of translationindividual thereto, a spring for each card secured to said base, each ofsaid cards holdingits respective spring under tension when in a stack,U-shaped bars pivotally supported upon one of said supports normallyinserted in the grooves formed by the designation characteristics of thecards for keeping said cards from moving out of the stack under thetension of their respective individual springs, said bars beingmaintained in the inserted position by restraining springs individual tothe bars and secured to the side of the support to which said bars arepivoted,

and an electromagnet for each of said bars se- 1 cured to said basefor,controlling the pivotal action of said bars in and out of theirassociated grooves, said electromagnet including an armature integralwith the bar, whereby theenergization of said electromagnet causes thebar to be withdrawn out of the groove against the action of therestraining spring individual to the bar, and whereby the energizationof said magnets in the combination indicated by the narrow notches ofthe designation characteristic 01 a particular card and the consequentwithdrawal of the associated bars out of their respective grooves leavesaid card free to be acted upon by the tension of its individual springto cause said card to be moved out of the stack within said guides bythe difierence between a wide and narrow notch, said card beingrestrained against further movement by the bars retained in the grooveswhich include the wide notches of its designation characteristic.

4. A slide card translator of the character described comprising incombination a plurality of cards each having a plurality of wide andnarrow notches along one edge thereof to record a designationcharacteristic of a card and an item of translation individual thereto,said widenotches being twice the width of the narrow notches, a base, apair of parallel supports, one mounted on each side of said base, aslotted guide for said cards secured to each one of said two parallelsupports for slidably holding individual cards between correspondingslots in said guides, whereby said cards are disposed in stackedformation with grooves of varying widths traversing the stack formed bythe wide and narrow notches that record the designation characteristicsof the difierent cards and the items of information individual thereto,means individual to each card for displacing the card out of the stack,bars adapted to fit the width of a narrow notch normally inserted in thegrooves formed by the designation characteristics of the differentcards, electromagnetic means for withdrawing said bars out of thegrooves in the combination indicated by the narrow notches in thedesignation record of a particular card whereby said card is acted uponby said individual means for displacing said card out of the stack bythe difference between a wide and narrow notch and restrained againstfurther displacement by the bars in the grooves indicated by the widenotches of the designation record, said card in being displaced out ofthe stack by the indicated amount blocking with the narrow notches ofits translation record the corresponding narrow notches of similarrecords in the two cards on either side thereof and reducing the widenotches on said cards to the width of narrow notches, a bar for eachgroove made by the wide and narrow notches of the translation records ofsaid cards, an electromagnet for actuating said bars, the energizationof said electromagnet causing said bars to be out of their associatedgrooves and the deenergization of said magnet causing only the barsassociated with grooves unblocked by the selected card to be inserted insaid grooves, and a set of springs for each bar secured to said base,said springs being adapted to close when the bar is in the groove andopen when the bar is out of the groove.

5. A slide card translator of the character described comprising incombination a plurality of cards each having a. plurality of wide andnarrow notches along one edge thereof to record a designationcharacteristic of a card and an item of translation individual thereto,each of said wide notches being twice the width of each of said narrownotches, a base, a pair of parallel supports, one mounted on each sideof said base, a slotted guide for said cards mounted upon each pair ofsaid supports for slldably holding the individual cards betweencorresponding slots in each guide whereby said cards form stacks withgrooves of varying widths traversing the stacks, said grooves beingformed by the wide and narrow notches recording the designationcharacteristics of the different cards and the items of translationindividual thereto, means individual to each card for moving the cardout of the stack, bars of a thickness slightly less than the width of anarrow notch normally inserted in the grooves formed by the designationcharacteristics of the different cards, electromagnetic means forwithdrawing said bars out of the grooves in the combination indicated bythe narrow notches in the designation characteristic record of aparticular card whereby said card is acted upon by said individual meansto move it out of the stack within said guides and restrained againstmoving more than the diflerence between a wide and narrow notch by thebars retained in the grooves indicated by the wide notches in thedesignation characteristic record of said card, said card in moving outof the stack by the indicated amount blocking with the unnotched spacesfollowing the narrow notches of its translation record and correspondingnarrow notches of similar records on the two cards on either sidethereof and reducing the wide notches on said cards to the width ofnarrow notches, a U-shaped bar for each groove made by the wide andnarrow notches of the translation records on said cards, each of saidbars having a hooked portion on its cross reach and a downwardlyprojecting arm formed integrally with one of the cross members thereof.said bars being pivotally supported on one of said parallel supports, anelectromagnet for auctuating said bars, said electromagnet including anarmature formed with an eyelet for each bar on its under surface toengage loosely the hooked portion of the bar, whereby upon theenergize,- tion of the magnet the armature presses fully on said hookedportion to keep the top edge of the bar clear of its associated grooveand whereby upon the deenergization of said magnet all of said bars aretilted for insertion into their respective grooves, the bars underneaththe unblocked grooves entering the same, and a. pair of contact springsfor each bar secured to said base and actuated by the projecting armtherei of, said contact springs being closed by said translationindividual thereto, each wide notch being twice the width of a narrownotch, a base, a pair'oi parallel supports, one mounted on each side ofsaid base, a slotted guide for said cards mounted upon each of saidsupports for slidably holding individual cards between correspondingslots in each guide, whereby said cards form stacks with grooves ofvarying widths traversing the stacks with the wide and narrow notchesthat record the designation characteristics of the different cards andthe items of translation individual thereto, means individual to eachcard for moving it out of its stack, select bars normally inserted inthe grooves formed by the designation characteristics of the differentcards, an electromagnet individual to each select bar for withdrawingthe same out of the grooves, said electromagnets upon energization inthe combination indicated by the narrow notches in the designationcharacteristic record of a particular card causing bars to be withdrawnfrom 2,ss1,aso

the grooves indicated by the narrow notches of said card and therebyreleasing said card ior displacement out of the stack under the actionof saldemeans individual to the card and restrained i'rom furtherdisplacement than the difierence between a wide and narrow notch by thebars retained in the grooves indicated by the wide notches in thedesignation characteristic record of said card, said'card in beingdisplaced out of the stack by the indicated amount blocking with theunnotched spaces following the narrow notches of its item of translationrecord the corresponding narrow notches of similar records on the twocards adjacent therewith and reducing the wide notches on said cards tothe width 01' narrow notches, a U-shaped bar for each groove made by thewide and narrow notches of the translation record on each card, each ofsaid bars having a hooked portion on its cross reach and a downwardlyprojecting arm formed integrally with one of the cross members thereof,said bars being pivotally supported on one of said parallel supports anelectromagnet for actuating all of said bars, said electromagnetincluding an armature with an eyelet for each bar on its under surfaceto engage loosely the hooked portion of each bar, whereby upon theenergization of said magnet the armature thereof presses fully on saidhooked portions to keep the bars clear of their respective grooves andwhereby upon the deenergization of said magnet all of said bars aretilted upward for insertion into their respective grooves, the barsunderneath the unblocked grooves entering the same, a pair of contactsprings for each bar secured to said base and actuated by the projectingarm thereof, said contact springs being closed by said projecting armwhen the associated bar enters its groove and opened by said projectingarm when the bar is outside of the groove, and a pair of reset magnetsmounted upon the one of said supports to which said U-bars are pivotallymounted, an armature for said magnet coextensive in width to that of thecard stack and adapted to engage the end portion of a card whendisplaced out of the stack, whereby the operation of said reset magnetssubsequent to the operation of said electromagnet causes said armatureto push the displaced card back into the stack.

RUDOLPH F. MALLINA.

